And the striker admitted that he is desperate to play ‘every single match, every single minute,’ and could look elsewhere if those opportunities are denied him.

“There are things I want to achieve with Liverpool,” he told the Mirror. “[But] I would never say I am Liverpool until I die, because I would be lying.

“I think any player who says, ‘Oh yeah, this is the only team I will play for, for the rest of my life’, they are deluded. In football, every team looks for replacements every single year.”

Sturridge on Luis Suarez

When he has played this season, Sturridge’s goal-ratio has been impressive, finding the net 11 times in 22 games.

But he is yet to rediscover the form that made him one of Europe’s most sought-after strikers, when he was playing alongside Luis Suarez as Liverpool came close to a first Premier League title in 2014.

Sturridge found the net 21 times in the league that year, but while his Uruguayan team-mate moved to Barcelona where he has gone from strength to strength, the Englishman has struggled.

But now, with his injuries behind him, Sturridge feels he is ready to emulate his one-time colleague, either with Liverpool or elsewhere.

“Suarez has done incredibly since going to Barcelona, and you know, I still have to believe that is my destiny too.

“I don’t doubt it, I don’t doubt the plan… I’ve been through a lot, but I feel like I am a new, improved version of myself.

“I’m feeling so good right now, feeling great, and my body is at a level where I’m able to play however many games a week repeatedly and not break down.”